Archives for July 2019

Fire restrictions for the Six Rivers National Forest will go into effect on Thursday August 1, 2019. The implementation of fire restrictions helps minimize the potential for human-caused wildland fires. While lightning is the number one cause of fires on the forest, human-caused fires are a major concern. Human-caused fires, which range from escaped campfires, careless smokers, equipment use, vehicle exhaust, catalytic converters, or children playing with matches, are preventable. Additional restrictions may be implemented as the summer progresses, especially if hot, dry conditions persist, leading to increased fire danger.

Coast Central Credit Union announced that the fall 2019 round of its CCCU Dean G. Christensen Community Investment Program is now open. A total of $100,000 is available to support local organizations throughout its tri-county area. Grant amounts range from $3,000 to $25,000. The giving program was created in 2008, and since then has awarded a total of over $1.2 million to 120 organizations throughout Humboldt, Del Norte, and Trinity counties. Recent grant recipients have included Family Resource Center of the Redwoods, Humboldt Senior Resource Center, and Lewiston Community Services District. Applications may be obtained online at coastccu.org under the Community tab, or by contacting Coast Central’s VP of Marketing & Communications Colleen Toste at (707) 445-8801, x 309 or ctoste@coastccu.org. The deadline is Friday, August 30 to Humboldt Area Foundation

Several nurses gathered outside St. Joseph’s Hospital Monday sharing demands they have surrounding workplace safety with the media. They say six nurses have been assaulted in the past two weeks and the nurses union describes the rise of violence as an epidemenic. AMong five demands laid out by the nurses according to Lost Coast Outpost, : “Full implementation of a workplace violence plan that is developed with the active participation of bedside Registered Nurses”; paid leave for time after an assault takes place; employer-paid counseling for nurses experiencing emotional trauma; the renewal of the RN Workplace Injury Insurance program; and annual training “when new hazards are identified.”

The rider of the motorcycle killed in a collision has been identified by the Humboldt County Corner’s Office as 25 year old Steven Forrest Johnson of Loleta. Johnson had been reported missing to Rio Dell Police Department on Saturday July 27th around 6 PM.
On Monday just before noon, Humboldt Area CHP was notified by a Caltrans survey crew of a motorcycle and rider located off the edge of the road on SR-36, near Mile Post Marker 10.7, east of Fox Creek Road. Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and determined the rider of the motorcycle had been deceased for several days.
The CHP Humboldt Area Office is investigating this collision and asks anyone with information to contact the Humboldt Area CHP Office at 707-822-5981 or send an email to humboldt_area.humboldt_area@chp.ca.gov.
Identification of the rider of the motorcycle is pending positive identification and subsequent notification of next of kin.

A shocking story out of Curry County where police say James Allen Propes of Gold Beach,
Oregon, was taken into custody by Curry County Sheriff’s Deputies. The
arrest stemmed from a complaint received by our office months prior that
indicated that Propes may be spreading or attempting to spread a
communicable disease through sexual contact without the knowledge of the
other party. Propes was booked into the Curry County Jail on charges including Attempted Assault, Attempt
to Willfully Cause the Spread of a Communicable Disease, and Reckless Endangering.
Due to the risk to public health, the Curry County Sheriff’s Office is asking
anyone with information about this case or who may have had consensual
contact with Propes to contact Curry County health officals.

After more than three years in the planning stages, Humboldt County is finalizing plans to buy three properties on the 1000 block of Fourth Street, tear them down, and turn the properties into a parking lot. The lot as it’s laid out would provide about 35 spaces, reports Lost Coast Outpost. The Board of Supervisors meets Tuesday and is scheduled to move forward with the purchase. It would give Public Works Director Tom Mattson authority to sign a property purchase agreement for three parcels at a price of $911,500, the exact amount of an appraisal the county received for the parcels back in June 2017.

An armed felon has been arrested in Arcata. On Monday, Officers with the Arcata Police Department conducted an enforcement bicycle stop on the 1700 block of Alliance Road. Officers contacted Stephen Ray Noble (Age 22) of Arcata. Noble is on active formal county probation for Assault with a Deadly Weapon. During the subsequent investigation, Noble was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number concealed on his person. Noble was also in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine.

To assess offshore wind feasibility for the Northern California coast, HSU’s Schatz Energy Research Center is conducting three complementary studies. Wind study #2 is being funded by a $150,000 grant from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), with matching funds from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E;). This study will evaluate wind patterns and associated energy generation profiles, estimate transmission upgrades, and assess the economic viability of three wind farm models. This project will provide a public report that describes the opportunities for energy generation and the expected costs of transmission upgrades. A final report for this wind study will be delivered to the bureau in May 2020.

A shots fired report leads to police looking for a suspect vehicle in the case. The report came in at about 10am Wednesday from the 1400 block of Reasor Rd., in McKinleyville. It was reported that a black male adult wearing a black and red sports jersey was involved in the incident and was recently seen leaving the area of Larissa Cr. in a blue sedan. Later reports suggested there may have been an exchange of gun fire between a group of individuals. An alert was issued for residents to stay indoors. There were several people detained and released. It was determined there may have been two groups of individuals involved in an altercation in which a black male adult wearing a red and black sports jersey had discharged a handgun. Deputies and Officers searched the area for the blue sedan. Several vehicles were investigated but were determined not to be involved in the incident. The involved blue sedan was not located. A search of the area was conducted, and no firearms were located. Deputies did not locate anyone who had been injured, and there were no reports made of any injuries or gunshot victims in this incident. The identity of the involved parties is unknown at this time.

Just before 8:00P.M. on Tuesday, July 23, 2019, two reporting parties heard an explosion and then saw smoke and flames coming from a home on the 800 block of Humboldt St. Humboldt Bay Fire crews responded quickly. The first engine on scene saw the smoke and flames upon arrival and quickly started fire attack. The working fire Warranted a second alarm. Shortly thereafter, crews had control of the fire and had confirmed that no residents or pets were inside. Two reporting parties were evaluated for smoke inhalation on scene by City
Ambulance. At this time, damage to the home is estimated to be $50,000, and the cause of origin is still under investigation.